Chibok Girls: Three Persons Declared Wanted by Army Say they were never Invited Prior to the Announcement

On Sunday, the Nigerian Army declared Ahmad Salkida, a journalist who is currently out of the country, (Ambassador) Ahmed Umar Bolori, the coordinator of the Fa’ash Foundation and the Partnership Against Violent Extremism and resident of Maiduguri, and Aisha Wakil, a lawyer, wanted, saying that they “have information on the conditions and the exact location of the (Chibok) girls”.

Following the announcement, the three of them have come out to express their disappoint at the fact that there were no prior invitations to them before they were declared wanted.

Bolori on his Facebook Page said: “I have received several calls, that the Nigerian Army have declared me and other 2 wanted! What kind of system is this that you’ll be declared wanted without bn informed? If there’s any problem, invite me : and I’ll honor your invitation. Besides, I don’t know what crime I’ve committed! Whatever the case, I have contacted the Army to provide a venue and they are yet to respond as expected. May God help us!”

He added that he reported at the Army Headquarters in Maiduguri and was asked to go home and return the next day (Monday).

“Sequel to my efforts to reach and report to them , the Nigerian Army asked me to return home and meet them tomorrow morning by 10am. This was after several unanswered calls and messages I have sent them.
May God grant us Peace!,” he said on his Facebook Page.

He posted a couple of hours ago on his Facebook Page that he was at the barracks and has been received by the Army.

Similarly, Silkida, in a post on his website said that he has honoured three invitations from Federal Government Agencies since May 2015, and that he will try as much as possible to get back to Nigeria, adding that if the Military sends him a ticket, his return will be hastened. “The Army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the Army authorities. Indeed, my return will be hastened if the Military sends me a ticket,” he said on Monday.

Wakil also said that she received news of her being wanted with “rude shock,” because she is “not a stranger to the military” hierarchy in the country.

She added that she is available for interrogations and will meet the Army in Abuja (where she is presently), or Maiduguri. In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Wakil said that she is no stranger to the Army.

“I’ve had meeting with them, I still met with the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, and other Army chiefs towards the end of last year. We had very lengthy meeting that we finished around 11 p.m and the next day we continued. I’m in Abuja right now, but I am thinking of going back to Maiduguri so I can see them at the main barracks there. But if there’s anywhere I could see them in Abuja here I will go and see them,” she said.

Nigeria Constitution did not give such powers to the Nigerian Army. “Declaring them wanted by the Any member of the Nigeria Army is unconstitutional.” Only the Nigeria Police Force has such power to declare them wanted. This is the reason why I have always stressed the importance of understanding one’s right under the Nigerian Constitution. My advice to these three individuals, is to largely take it as a joke comming from the Army which has forgotten it’s role under the Nigeria Constitution. A word is enough for the wise. I’ m just saying.

I can imagine. It was sloppy and when I read the announcement my first thought was how it would compromise the safety of the so-called ‘wanted’ who would suddenly be wanted by the bokos for purportedly having valuable information . Hmmm.

I hope for the best possible outcome anyway, and hope the various institutions improve. I’m sure they’re doing their best and could use help e.g. of better-trained lawyers to work in the army etc. so they can be more modern.

I don’t know why the Nigerian government knows how to play on people’s intelligence, do they think we are all fulani herdsmen or shoe maker; can you imagine the rubbish they’re doing just to douse the padding tension, they’ve devised another strategy; imagine one of them said she’s not new to the military heirachy, that speaks volume to any discerning head, what did they discuss last year? Suddenly a video pops up and another news, very soon another issue will pop up, wetin sef una too dey fool una sef, this government should come out clean abeg; from efcc/fayose to melaye/tinubu, to dogora/jubrin to chibok girls wetin sef; the one that annoys me most are the educated illiterate who either believes Buhari is the solution or messiah or jonathan is the devil, the military spokesperson said their airstrikes were targeted with precision and as such it cannot hit anyone else my question the bomb na costumized abi dem program am? He get sense to know the peraon to whom it was sent? Liar Mohammed has ran our of lies, so audu ogbeh is next in the blame game, that we should blame Ibb; very soon fashola will ask us to blame Herbert Macaulay; then buhari will blame Lord Luggard, the more they try to discredit past government the more stupid they act and sound